The 2018 / 2019 academic year saw Southeastern Athletics place in the top five Southland universities for the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll for both the fall and spring semesters. Southeastern placed 117 students in the spring, representing the highest single-semester total in school history.
Fall 2018
Southeastern placed 81 student-athletes on the Fall 2018 Honor Roll.
Just under 1,000 student-athletes from the league’s 13 institutions landed a spot on the Fall Honor Roll overall. To be included, student-athletes from the sports of football, soccer, cross country, and volleyball had to post a grade point average of 3.00 or above for the semester. Southeastern’s contingent was the fifth largest among the league’s schools. For the semester, 198 Lions and Lady Lions had a 3.0 GPA or higher in the fall semester, as SLU Athletics posted a combined 3.13 department-wide GPA for the semester—the highest in school history.
The Southeastern football team led the way with 34 student-athletes, while 22 Lady Lion soccer players were among those honored. Southeastern was fourth among cross country programs with 15 members on the honor roll, while the SLU volleyball program featured 10 representatives.
Spring 2019
Building on the success of the fall semester, Southeastern placed 117 student-athletes on the Spring 2019 Honor Roll. The 117 honor roll selections represented the highest single-semester total in school history. Southeastern has placed 100 or more student-athletes on the spring honor roll for each of the last four years.
Every Southeastern spring sports’ honor roll total was in the top half for their respective sport when compared to the other institutions’ programs. Leading the way was the Southeastern baseball team, which had 25 representatives on the honor roll— the most among the 13 Southland baseball programs. Coach Matt Riser’s squad’s contingent was highlighted by Academic All-American and Southland Student-Athlete of the Year Corey Gaconi. The league’s Pitcher of the Year was joined by fellow Southland All-Academic selections Jared Biddy, Mason Knopp, Kyle Schimpf, and Bryce Tassin. Gaconi and Schimpf were among five Lions who posted a 4.0 GPA this spring.
The women’s track and field program tied for department-high honors with 25 selections. Sixth among Southland women’s track programs, SLU was led by Southland All-Academic performers Ashley Davis and Grace Walford. Walford was one of four Lady Lions with a 4.0 spring semester GPA.
Walford and company’s male counterparts added 20 representatives to the honor roll, good for fifth among Southland men’s track and field programs. Southland All-Academic selection Gerald Coleman is among the Lions’ contingent, which also includes six 4.0 students this spring.
Southland All-Academic members Rebecca Skains and Madisen Blackford highlighted a 15-member contingent from the SLU softball program. Tanner Wright carried a 4.0 semester GPA for the Lady Lions, who had the fifth-highest honor roll tally among league softball programs.
The women’s basketball team was also fifth among league women’s basketball programs with nine honorees. Ashailee Brailey represented her team with a 4.0 GPA, while AllSouthland and All-Louisiana performer Celica Sterling was also among the Lady Lion representatives.
The men’s golf and women’s tennis programs each had eight honorees, ranking second and third, respectively, in the Southland among their respective sports. Head coach Jake Narro’s golf team had 100 percent representation on the honor roll, as all eight Lion golfers posted a 3.0 GPA or higher this semester, led by Southland All-Academic performer Joris Etlin.
The SLU tennis team maintained its top team GPA in Southeastern Athletics. Of its honor roll contingent, five had a 4.0 GPA this spring, including Southland All-Academic honoree Katya Cornejo.
Among Southland men’s basketball programs, SLU was fifth with seven honorees. Key contributors Kajon Brown and Pape Diop were among the Lion contingent.
“We want a culture of victory and success—victory in competition and success in the classroom. These record numbers demonstrate that we continue to ensure that wherever our athletes go in life, they will be well prepared for their future,” said Athletics Director Jay Artigues.
